Firefly-inspired design could improve LEDs

Chemistry World : Researchers in Korea have created a high-power LED lens modeled on the bioluminescent structures of fireflies. The insects’ lantern comprises three layers: a luminous layer sandwiched between a cuticle layer and a dorsal layer. Using a scanning electron microscope, Jae-Jun Kim and colleagues at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology studied the intricate nanostructure of the cuticle layer. They found that it acts much like an LED’s dome lens. By combining the latest nanoscale processing techniques with what they learned about fireflies’ cuticle layer, the researchers created a nanostructured reflecting surface for LEDs that enhances light emission and increases overall efficiency.